Like barcode and voice data entry, RFID is a contactless information acquisition technology. RFID systems are wireless, and are usually extremely effective in hostile environments where conventional acquisition methods fail. RFID has established itself in a wide range of markets, such as, for example, the high-speed reading of railway containers, tracking moving objects such as livestock or automobiles, and retail inventory applications. As such, RFID technology has become a primary focus in automated data collection, identification and analysis systems worldwide.
Of late, companies are increasingly embodying RFID data acquisition technology in a fob or tag for use in completing financial transactions. A typical fob includes a transponder and is ordinarily a self-contained device which may be contained on any portable form factor. In some instances, a battery may be included with the fob to power the transponder. In which case the internal circuitry of the fob (including the transponder) may draw its operating power from the battery power source. Alternatively, the fob may exist independent of an internal power source. In this instance the internal circuitry of the fob (including the transponder) may gain its operating power directly from an RF interrogation signal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,774, issued to Schuermann, describes a typical transponder RF interrogation system which may be found in the prior art. The Schuermann patent describes in general the powering technology surrounding conventional transponder structures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,328, discusses a method by which a conventional transponder may respond to a RF interrogation signal. Other typical modulation techniques which may be used include, for example, ISO/IEC 14443 and the like.
In the conventional fob powering technologies used, the fob is typically activated upon presenting the fob in an interrogation signal. In this regard, the fob may be activated irrespective of whether the user desires such activation. Inadvertent presentation of the fob may result in initiation and completion of an unwanted transaction. Thus, a fob system is needed which allows the fob user to control activation of the fob to limit transactions being undesirably completed.
One of the more visible uses of the RFID technology is found in the introduction of Exxon/Mobil's Speedpass® and Shell's EasyPay® products. These products use transponders placed in a fob or tag which enables automatic identification of the user when the fob is presented at a Point of Sale (POS) device. Fob identification data is typically passed to a third-party server database, where the identification data is referenced to a customer (e.g., user) credit or debit account. In an exemplary processing method, the server seeks authorization for the transaction by passing the transaction and account data to an authorizing entity. Once authorization is received by the server, clearance is sent to the point of sale device for completion of the transaction. In this way, the conventional transaction processing method involves an indirect path which causes undue overhead due to the use of the third-party server.
A need exists for a transaction authorization system which allows fob transactions to be authorized while eliminating the cost associated with using third-party servers.
In addition, conventional fobs are limited in that they must be used in proximity to the Point of Sale device. That is, for fob activation, conventional fobs must be positioned within the area of transmission cast by the RF interrogation signal. More particularly, conventional fobs are not effective for use in situations where the user wishes to conduct a transaction at a point of interaction such as a computer interface.
Therefore, a need exists for a fob embodying RFID acquisition technology, which is capable of use at a point of interaction device and which is additionally capable of facilitating transactions via a computer interface connected to a network (e.g., the Internet).
Existing transponder-reader payment systems are also limited in that the conventional fob used in the systems is only responsive to one interrogation signal. Where multiple interrogation signals are used, the fob is only responsive to the interrogation signal to which it is configured. Thus, if the RFID reader of the system provides only an interrogation signal to which the fob is incompatible, the fob will not be properly activated.
Therefore, a need exists for a fob which is responsive to more than one interrogation signal.
Existing transponder-reader payment systems are additionally limited in that the payment systems are typically linked to a funding source associated with the transponder which includes a predetermined spending limit. Thus no flexibility is provided in instances where the payment is requested which exceeds the predetermined spending limit. This is typically true in that traditional methods for processing a requested transaction involve comparing the transaction to the spending limit or to an amount stored in a preloaded value data file prior to providing transaction authorization to a merchant.
Thus, a system is needed which processes transponder reader payment requests irrespective of the spending limit assigned to an associated transponder-reader payment system funding source.
Further, traditional transponder-reader systems do not permit the user to manage the system user account data. This is extremely problematic where the user wishes to change a transponder-reader system funding source to a source which provides more available spending room, or where changes are made to the user's status (e.g., change in address, phone number, email, etc.) for which the transponder-reader account provider wishes to readily update the user's account.
Thus a need exists for a transponder-reader system which will allow the user limited access to the transponder-reader account for managing account data.
Further still, existing transponder-reader systems do not usually permit means for automatically incenting the use of the fob associated with the system as opposed to the credit or charge card associated with the fob. That is, conventional transponder-reader systems do not provide a means for encouraging usage of the transponder reader system by encouraging use of the fob product since the present systems do not sufficiently distinguish between usage of a system transponder and a charge or credit card account associated with the transponder.
Consequently, a need exists for a transponder-reader system which is capable of determining when a system transponder is used, and providing an incentive for such usage.
Still further, present systems are limited in that the systems are unable to track credit or charge card usage and fob usage for a single funding source. For example, in typical prior art systems, a fob may be linked to a specified funding source (e.g., American Express, MasterCard, Visa, etc.) which may be used to provide funds for satisfaction of a transaction request. The funding source may additionally have a consumer credit or charge card which may be associated with the fob and which may be used for contact transactions. Where the credit or charge card is used, a statement reporting the card usage is provided to the card user. However, the reporting statement does not include a reporting of the fob product usage. Thus, a fob user is unable to adequately chart, analyze or compare fob usage to the usage of the associated card. This is especially problematic where the funding source is used by more than one entity (e.g., spouses, multiple company personnel, etc.) or where one entity may use the fob and a separate entity may use the card associated with the fob.
Thus, a need exists for a transponder-reader payment system which would permit reporting of the fob usage and the credit card usage in a single file.